Earthpark is a proposed best-in-class educational facility with indoor rain forest and aquarium elements, and a mission of "inspiring generations to learn from the natural world." It was previously called the Environmental Project.
Earthpark was to be located around
Lake Red Rock, near the town of
Pella, Iowa
Pella is a city in Marion County, Iowa, United States, with a population of 10,464 at the time of the 2020 U.S. Census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day use ...
.
[ ''Press Citizen'', "Top 10 news stories of 2006", December 27, 2006, retrieved on December 29, 2006.] In December 2007, federal funding from the
U.S. Department of Energy for the Pella location was rescinded. Proposals from a variety of potential hosts, some outside of Iowa are being considered.
Location
Talks between Earthpark and the city of
Coralville, Iowa
Coralville is a city in Johnson County, Iowa, Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It is a suburb of Iowa City, Iowa, Iowa City and part of the Iowa City metropolitan area, Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 22,318 at the 2 ...
, the original planned location of Earthpark, ended in 2006. The project then found a new home in
Pella, Iowa
Pella is a city in Marion County, Iowa, United States, with a population of 10,464 at the time of the 2020 U.S. Census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day use ...
. but that did not become a reality. A similar project exists in
Cornwall, England
Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
, called
The Eden Project.
Size and scope
The total project cost for Earthpark is estimated to be US$155 million. The complex was planned to be in area with a 600,000 gallon aquarium and outdoor wetland and prairie exhibits.
The Earthpark project was expected to employ 150 people directly and create an additional 2000 indirect jobs. The economic impact was estimated to be US$130 million annually. The park was projected to draw 1 million visitors annually to the Pella area.
[ "Pella Lands the Earthpark", ''Town Crier News'', retrieved on December 29, 2006]
Funding
In August 2008, when asked if any efforts would be made to get additional federal money for the project, U.S. Senator
Chuck Grassley
Charles Ernest Grassley (born September 17, 1933) is an American politician serving as the president pro tempore emeritus of the United States Senate, and the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States sen ...
said "Not by this senator, and I don't think there will be any by other senators."
References
External links
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* {{cite news , title=Campaign Ad Calls Rainforest Wasteful Spending; Organizers Say Earthpark Will Bring In $130M Annually , url=http://www.kcci.com/news/10160032/detail.html , publisher=KCCI , date=October 25, 2006 , access-date=September 22, 2008 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061130093710/http://www.kcci.com/news/10160032/detail.html , archive-date=November 30, 2006 , url-status=dead
Entertainment venues in Iowa
Ecological experiments
Environmental design